Most of the money released to the arts following the closure of the Olympic Lottery Distributor will be used to support cultural exchange and overseas touring.
JP (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
An £18m fund is being earmarked to encourage international collaboration and cultural exchange, and generate more money by sending the best of English arts and culture overseas. The fund is being created from a total of £21m due to be returned to Arts Council England (ACE) in 2015 following the dissolution of the Olympic Lottery Distributor. It will be distributed from 2015-18 with the aim of helping arts organisations and artists “such as the V&A, Manchester International Festival and Akram Khan in taking their acclaimed shows, exhibitions and productions overseas to support their operations back home”.
Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said: “…cultural diplomacy can build trust and relationships with other countries, helping to drive trade and investment. This export fund of £18 million will help promote our unique talent on the international stage…” ACE Chair Sir Peter Bazalgette said: “…we’ll all see the benefits of an arts and cultural sector that is encouraging international investment and increasing revenue streams, collaborating with partners overseas to further enrich our cultural offer, and enhancing our reputation for world class culture.”
 |